Indiana: Latest Red State To Go ‘Green’

A majority of Indiana residents believe that marijuana should be legally regulated like alcohol and nearly 80 percent of Hoosiers support taxing it, according to recently released statewide polling data released by the Bowen Center for Public Affairs at Ball State University.

Hoosiers support for taxing cannabis was even stronger. Seventy-eight percent of respondents, including strong majorities of both major political parties, answered ‘yes’ to the question, “Should we tax marijuana like alcohol/cigarettes?” Only 19 percent of respondents opposed the idea.

Under present state law, first-time marijuana possession offenses of under 30 grams are punishable by up to one-year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Subsequent offenses are classified as felonies, punishable by up to 3 years incarceration.

Six hundred randomly selected Indiana residents participated in the survey, which has a margin of error of +/- 4.8 percent.

The Indiana poll is the latest to show growing support for marijuana law reform among so-called ‘Red State’ voters. Recent statewide surveys in Arizona, Louisiana, and Texas have similarly shown majority support for legalization.

According to an October 2013 nationwide Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans believe that marijuana should be legal, an all-time high.

I am so happy to hear something is going on in Indiana about the legalization of Marijuana. I have been trying to learn more for a few years and learning this information has brought a lot of hope to me. I hope there will be a day soon where I can have a smoke of this wonderfully natural plant.

I seriously doubt Indiana does anything soon about Marijuana reform. After what they did and didn’t do to the last bill kinda proves that our representatives and leaders do not have interests at heart ! And that Big Pharma and Alcahol probly have them in their hip pockets right now ! sad really !

What I’m wondering is this: How can you be opposed to legalizing marijuana but support taxing it? It appears, from those numbers, that there is such a group that thinks like this. How on earth can you tax something that is freaking illegal? I’m pretty sure you can only tax something that’s legal, as something that is illegal tends to be done under-the-table and doesn’t leave a easy-to-follow paper trail for Uncle Sam to calculate the taxable amounts. Do you really think that people who are dealing in MJ, either selling or using, are going to line up with their evidence of “criminal” behavior for you, and seriously believe you are not going to use it to put them in jail?

I have noticed through the years that there is a distinct lack of logical thought in the minds of people who support prohibition. And now it’s looking like it gets even more illogical and even weird when they are transitioning to the correct, fact-based side of this issue, as on one hand they know they’re wrong and this must end because it is damaging our country, and on the other hand they CANNOT ADMIT THEIR MISTAKE!!! So you get this incredibly strange and even more illogical position that borrows incompatible elements from both sides, based not on fact or logic but on their own personal opinion. “No, I hate marijuana and want it to be illegal because [insert BS prohibitionist lies serving as cover for their inability to admit they were wrong], but yes, I would like more tax revenue without having to pay higher taxes myself or raise taxes on the rich, so I do think marijuana should be taxed.” And never once do they think about how they might implement such a policy.

Bible thumpers were against gays marrying too. So that isn’t a real problem. The problem is that the one percent who want to control us by using big pharma, private prisons and police unions. Remember they first took away our freedom by making it illegal and now they act like it’s a big deal to tax and regulate it. Whiney little bitches!

I’m so thrilled to see states lining up to legalize! However living in a state were my life style and passion for a plant is held against me(like really you can take all the money I earn).I please urge the legal stoners to help other states out this fight isn’t over for all of us!

These numbers don’t make sense. There were 45% who answered that they oppose legalization, but only 19% who don’t want marijuana taxed. That means that there were at least 29% who answered that marijuana should remain illegal but also be taxed.

What would that even mean? That if you sell marijuana and get away with it, you have to anonymously pay the VAT?

I think 58 percent is a low estimate. I’ve never been polled.
Even in the face of the majority of people wanting cannabis freed, there are those who I like to call “cannaphobes” who think some how legalizing cannabis would create a lawless state. These folks need to be educated and not demonized by we who support legalization….how do we do that?